Social Media Day Gives Digital Marketing More Attention in Nigeria

Getting to understand Nigerian digital natives is now becoming a hot burner issue for more brand handlers than ever before. You can not blame them when as at 2008, the International Telecommunication Union had recorded 23.9m Nigerians with regular internet access. That was 2 years ago before the boom in portable internet access thanks to USB enabled internet connectivity solutions launched by Starcomms, GLO and MTN. Simultaneously, there has been an upsurge in demand for internet ready laptops and computers with many banks offering payment schemes that further made it easier for more people to own a PC or laptop. Top this all up with the Blackberry craze. Yep. Literally millions of Nigerians now access the internet from their Blackberry and enjoy the BB instant messaging chat function provided by all the GSM operators including newbie but youthful brand ETISALAT.

With all these increased online activity going on across different age groups brands seem to be in a dilemma on how to get in on the dialogue. Most forget it is about people extending their social lives to the internet so some brands just adopt the ATL approach - DISPLAY ADVERTISING. Unfortunately, much of display advertising is created to raise awareness. Awareness is good, but is no more the Holy Grail. You have to engage your audience. To do that, you have to Know Your Consumer - K.Y.C. to do that you need to enter into a participatory dialogue with your target audience.

This is where Social Media Marketing comes in. A process in which brands can engage the consumer respectfully and in a way that inspires - after all, People love people. Social media can help you humanize your brand better. It has its risks undoubtedly but it also has quantum rewards as it moves people faster along the lines of purchase and loyalty. This is why I commend MASHABLE for the idea to celebrate the 1st World Social Media Day.

I was the Nigeria Organizer for the MASHABLE World Social Media Day event and was able to organize a 'sensible' Flash Mob with just an hour notice. We had a blast, 20 people in all including representatives from Social Media Club, Nigeria chapter and M2 - leading brand and marketing magazine. You can read the report on the event by M2 Online weekly here: http://ht.ly/27rBf 

One thing am sure is that more and more Nigerian consumers want better relationships with their brands. Brands have to listen. Brands have to engage. Brands have to co-create. Social Media can help you do that.

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Dayo Adefila was formerly Head, Strategic Planning & Digital Marketing at Insight Communications but is now fully building the digital marketing function within the TROYKA GROUP. A former ad creative Dayo also has diverse experience in brand management from his time at Vmobile Nigeria & Celtel Nigeria in the Corporate Brand function. Catch him in the virtual world at any of these locations.
http://linkedin.com/in/dayoadefila http://twitter.com/travelwithdayo